


Keep Making Trouble Till You Find What You Love

by SacredPhil (Helixhalifax)



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Twins, Dan and OC are twins, M/M, One Shot, Phan - Freeform, Phanfiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-31
Updated: 2016-01-31
Packaged: 2018-05-17 07:59:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5860666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helixhalifax/pseuds/SacredPhil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan has a twin sister called Lucy, who comes to stay. What happens when Phil begins to have feelings for her? But is he really crushing on his best friend's sister or is she just his heart's way of pointing out something different, like the many parallels between the two Howells, or a love story left behind in 2009? Does Lucy know more than she's letting on? And why does the girl in the other flat look so familiar?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keep Making Trouble Till You Find What You Love

It was cold and rainy and Dan and Phil were in their warm apartment watching some stupid TV show that Phil had barely been paying attention to. It was getting to a tense part in the episode, Dan was on the edge of his seat, the music was swelling, and there was a ring of the doorbell.  
Dan groaned slumping back to pause it.  
'Could you go get that?' Dan said batting his eyelashes.  
'Me? It's probably your girlfriend.'  
Estelle had moved into the flat diagonally down from theirs about 2 weeks ago and had been majorly hitting on Dan. She had a massive blue eyes and jet black hair. Dan wasn't seriously flirting with her, he just liked the attention, but something about her made Phil incredibly uneasy.  
'Estelle is so not my girlfriend.'  
'That doesn't mean you wouldn't like her to be!' Phil teased making lovey-dovey eyes and kissy noises at Dan till he sighed and went to get the door.

Two pairs of footsteps moved up the staircase, an outcome Phil had not been expecting.  
Dan entered closely followed by a girl laden with luggage.  
She had curly, short, brown hair and brown eyes to match. Phil stood awkwardly to greet her.  
Dan, a little taken aback by Phil's actions, laughed before saying.  
'This is Phil, my...' Dan's eyebrow quirked up, realising that it had been many years since he had had to explain his and Phil's relationship. 'Best friend and flatmate.' Phil smiled and waved his hand as though there may be a doubt which of the three people in the flat was Phil.  
'And Phil, this is Lucy, my twin sister.'

It would have been impossible for Phil to have been friends with Dan for over 6 years without the knowledge that he had a twin sister. There were pictures of the two of them in matching outfits as children all over Dan's parents' house. Dan even had one on his desk for Christ sake. It was just that Phil had never invested any of his thought into the fact that there was a girl somewhere that bore such a striking resemblance to his best friend.

'She got into a fight with her girlfriend and they broke up. Do you think she can stay here till she finds someplace else?' Dan asked, probably more anxiously than the situation called for.  
'Yeah, yeah. Of course! Do you want me to get some spare blankets and stuff?' Phil asked before leaving the room.  
'Thank you so much for this, bro. No call in years and then I show up on your door step, you're a saint!' Lucy said giving him a light hug.  
'Shut up, like you wouldn't have done the same for me.' He smirked shoving her.

The next few days were odd adjusting to life with a woman in the flat. Neither of the two men had had a serious girlfriend in years, and a girl around in even longer. Thankfully she shared Dan's nearly nocturnal sleep pattern, so that wasn't an issue. She mostly stayed out of the way and was quiet.

One night, when Dan and Phil had decided to watch a movie and Lucy had, in favour of some quiet time, relocated to Dan's room, Phil struck up a conversation about her.  
'What does she do?'  
'She's an assistant museum curator.'  
'Museum curator? What is it with your family and boring occupations?  
'Boring occupations? Being a youtuber is the least boring occupation there is!'  
'You were going to be a lawyer.' Phil drawled.  
'Oh yeah. Nevermind. We're all just creative geniuses choosing to be desk jockeys.'

Lucy was the object of Phil's fascination for a few weeks. It was interesting to see Dan's habits and outlooks mirrored in a girl. His own reactions to them were just as interesting. Lucy spoke to herself at night as well. While he found it endearing on Dan, he thought it a little alarming on Lucy. He added it to the list of similarities Dan and Lucy shared, which he contrasted to the list of their differences. Phil wasn't sure when he started this mental list, it was possibly after he began to see that Lucy was very pretty. It was Lucy's vaguely alarming monologues that drew Phil into the living room at 5am. In his search for clarity over his feelings for his best friend's twin sister he discovered Lucy's secret obsession, watching the sunrise.

Phil had in his lack of sleep / too early in the morning haze believed it to be Dan standing, mystified, staring out of the window, brown hair bathed in the purple-red-orange-yellow illumination streaming in.  
Believed it to be Dan who reached out a trembling hand and touched the light, moving his fingers to cast shadows on his open palm.  
He was almost relieved to realise that he'd been staring at Lucy, just as transfixed as she was, for 10 minutes.  
Because for just a moment he saw the most beautiful thing he could imagine, and it was Dan.  
Far too alarmed by these thoughts for 5am he retreated back to his room.

He once again brought her up in conversation with Dan.  
'She gets up every morning at 5 am and watches the sunrise.'  
"She" was out to dinner with some friends tonight and thus he felt safe enough to bring her up.  
'Yeah she has since was were kids. She wakes up, watches the sunrise, and goes back to sleep till dinner. How did-'  
Phil interrupted Dan's questioning his creepy behaviour by lying.  
'You could have told me! Scared me half to death when I went to get some water!'  
Dan chuckled, satisfied with Phil's answer, and turned back to his laptop.

Phil pondered in bed that night, the thing that was most similar between Dan and Lucy.  
They both seemed to have entire worlds inside them, they had stars in their veins and solar systems in their heads. Dan was the sun and Phil was his Mercury, always orbiting too close. He was in love with Dan.  
But what about Lucy? Phil's comparison lists made sense. He thought he was trying to justify falling in love with Lucy by showing how different they were, but instead he was justifying falling in love with Dan by showing how similar they are. This certainly was a dilemma.  
Phil had never been in a situation similar to this, with a problem he couldn't talk to Dan about.  
So with no better options he turned to the next best thing, Dan's twin.

 

Phil had kicked Dan out of the house under the guise of a very, very long shopping list from a shop which didn't do home delivery, and yes he absolutely needed 20 glow in the dark shower sponges.  
'Lucy? Can I talk to you?' Phil asked sitting down cautiously next to her on the lounge.  
'What's up Phil?' Lucy smiled.  
'I think I have a crush on you.' Her eyes widened comically.  
'Don't worry it gets weirder. The reason I think I have a crush on you is actually because I have a crush on Dan.' Her look of shock softened a little.  
After a little more explaining Lucy started to get it.  
'So you're crushing on Dan through me?'  
'Yeah that's the current theory I'm working on.'  
'Do you want to date Dan?'  
'I mean- I wouldn't- It's not like-' Lucy frowned at him. 'Yes. But if Dan liked me he would have let it on before now. Wouldn't he?'

Lucy and Dan's parents weren't rich and so could only afford a small house. They always had to share a room. Unlike some twins who absolutely hated each other, Dan and Lucy got along well, so it was never a problem.  
Well, that was until they were both around 18. Dan had made a friend online and Lucy had found herself kicked out of their room more often for Dan's late night Skype calls.  
Phil Lester, the boy from YouTube, was the only thing Dan ever talked about.  
'So Dan have you heard Muse's new one yet?'  
'Yeah me and Phil listened to it yesterday.'  
'Hey Dan, want to come to the movies with me tomorrow?'  
'No, can't. Phil wants to show me his new duvet.' Like seriously, a duvet?  
They went on a family trip to the zoo, and Dan would spend all day texting Phil.  
No one complained though. This was the happiest Dan had been in years. There were bets in their mutual friend group whether Dan would ask Phil out or the other way round.  
It came as no shock when Dan, after dropping out of university, moved in with Phil. However, now, all that came from his mouth was a constant berate on how totally and completely platonic their friendship was.  
Lucy wondered if Dan wanted a totally and completely platonic friendship with Phil. She would wonder this many times later as she watched his mood drop whenever he reiterated exactly how hetero he and Phil were.

For a long time she wondered why he didn't just go for it. Despite being only two minutes younger than Dan, in experience she was years behind.  
She finally understood two years into her university course. There was a girl two seats down from her who's ginger hair shine like the sun. She noticed the girl struggling to hold her coffee along with the many papers she was carrying and ran forward to catch them as they fell.  
She wore thick black glasses that did nothing to obscure her beautiful blue eyes.  
'Hey, thanks for that.'  
'Anytime! It's Lucy by the way. I think I've seen you in some of my lectures?' Lucy said extending the hand that wasn't holding papers out.  
'Yeah I think so! I'm Mississippi. Can I buy you a coffee?'  
'I'd love that.'  
She had gained a friend however she was desperately in love with that friend. She suddenly understood.  
She finished university and vowed to stay in touch with everyone.  
Not even six months after graduating and she receives a Facebook invite to Mississippi Winter and Jayden Posk's wedding.  
Finally she had outstripped Dan in experience. She knew what it was like to love someone and have them leave. She didn't want to have Dan go through the same experience without even taking a chance, like she had.  
And now she knew Phil Lester, the boy from YouTube and 18 year old Dan's love, loved him back.  
She prayed it wasn't too late and Dan hadn't given up hope.

She thanked Phil for having the courage to tell her and told him to keep his mind off Dan.  
She needed a plan.

Somehow Dan had been roped into inviting Estelle to dinner.  
It was during this dinner Lucy had her idea.  
Phil was sat next to Estelle and across from Dan. It was through this seating arrangement that Lucy saw similarities between Estelle and Phil. Aside from the black hair and blue eyes, they both had the same well meaning but far away manner.  
Dan's slightly awkward flirting might now make sense. If her twin-tuition was correct Dan may not have gotten over Phil.

Lucy volunteered to walk Estelle down to her flat. Everyone thought it was an unnecessary precaution bet let her go.  
Once they got down she explained the plan to Estelle.  
'Got it?' Estelle frowned quickly before shrugging.  
'Ok.'  
'Really? I thought you were going to need a little more convincing than that.'  
'It's alright. I've already got a boyfriend. It was fun to see Dan get all bashful when I put on a bit of charm.'

The trap was set. Two days later the doorbell rang. Dan heaved himself out of the browsing position to get it.  
'Oh. Hey there Estelle. How's it going?'  
'Good! I was wondering if you want to come to mine tonight for dinner?' Dan blushed a deep and vibrant red. He was not expecting this relationship to progress to this level. Dan was never good at thinking on the spot, so without a thought on what he actually wanted, Dan agreed.

Dan wandered down the stairs, a bottle of wine, purchased hurriedly and on the guy at the liquor store's recommendation, clutched in his sweaty hand.  
Did he actually want to date Estelle? Probably not, however he was still here because he figured it was just a first date. What was the worst that could happen?  
'Hey Dan!' Estelle greeted him at the door. She looked amazing. She was wearing a blue button up shirt which really brought out her eyes. They were a darker blue than Phil's dazzling light blue eyes.  
Woah hold it together Dan. He thought. Try not to compare every attractive person you meet to Phil. And then he added Because you know they won't measure up.  
They ate dinner and exchanged small talk. Estelle offered a movie which Dan accepted gratefully in order to escape the awkwardness. Estelle sat nearly on Dan's lap and snuggled into him.  
Dan managed to last nearly half way through the movie before noticing that Estelle wasn't watching at all, instead she was staring straight at him with these eyes that said only one thing. He leant forwards, into her, and gently guided her chin towards him. They kissed lightly and briefly, before Estelle pulled back to let forth an Earth shattering statement.  
'You can call me Phil if you need.'

Dan let out a huff in shock. And moved back.  
'What? How did you- What are you talking about?' He said trying desperately to move away from Estelle whilst still being tangled in her legs.  
'Dan it's obvious that you're not into me. I just wanted something casual.'  
'Obvious? I- Years! I spent years convincing myself that Phil was- that Phil was just Phil. All of that was invisible to you?' Dan extracted himself and was standing a couple feet away from the couch.  
'I'm sorry Dan. Are you really in love with Phil?'  
'I- Yes.' Dan said, sinking onto the couch. 'I've loved him since I was 18. I never stopped loving him, no matter how hard I tried to convince myself otherwise.'  
Estelle looked down at Dan. 'I think you should go home.'

Lucy was there to greet Dan as he opened the door. Her face was solemn as though she already knew what happened.  
'Hey Dan. Wanna come sit with me?' She said leading him to the couch and tapping the cushion next to herself. Dan threw himself down with a sigh.  
'Do you want to talk about it?'  
'I'm in love with Phil.' Dan whispered more to himself than anyone else.  
'I know.' Lucy said.  
'Who doesn't know? Apparently no one!' Dan snarked.  
'Phil doesn't know.' Lucy replied in almost a whisper. 'But he loves you back.'  
Dan knew his sister's naivety. He knew she easily saw the best in people, easily forgave and easily confused different kinds of love.  
'No he doesn't.'  
'He does. He told me. See watch.'  
The next thing he knew she was calling Phil's name.  
Lucy indicated for him to sit next to Dan.  
'He loves you too Phil.' Dan couldn't believe that light that came to Phil's eyes.  
'Do you love him?'  
'I love you, Dan.' Phil confirmed.  
Dan looked dumbstruck at Phil. Words spilling out before he realised.  
'I love you too Phil.'  
They leant in and hugged. Phil's hugs still felt like home.  
And Dan was home at last.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to everybody supporting me and leaving Kudos! It's very encouraging! I'd like to take this time to tell you that I have a tumblr. It's sacredphil.tumblr.com  
> Ok that's all thank you :)


End file.
